Josh Beckett said he would do whatever the team asks of him, but no one in a Dodgers uniform is thinking of him as anything other than a starter. Newcomer Hyun-Jin Ryu cost the team $62 million to sign and can't be sent to the minors without his consent, so he looks to be in.

That leaves Chad Billingsley and Ted Lilly, both of whom are returning from season-ending injuries, and Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang, both of whom are solid, durable fifth options for any rotation.

Competition "is there," manager Don Mattingly says. "If everybody stays healthy and if everybody is throwing the ball the way they are capable of, we've got tough decisions to make."

Every pitcher competing for that final spot has enough service time to decline a minor league demotion. Assuming none accepts a minor league assignment or is traded — and there have been plenty of rumors — three of these veteran starters will find themselves in a deepening bullpen.

"That's not something I'm thinking about right now," Billingsley says. "I'm just getting my work in and doing what I'd normally do."

Lilly told reporters Tuesday that he likes this team so much, he would rather pitch for it in relief than start elsewhere. Capuano wasn't so sure.

"That's a great question," Capuano said. "I want to be part of this organization and what's going on here. Most importantly, I want to win and want to be part of something special. I would certainly have to think about it."

The Dodgers aren't opposed to trading a starter if they can fill one of their other needs (third base, for example), but the return would have to be an established or at least a major league-ready player. None of those pitchers would bring back a prospect haul.

Because of that, general manager Ned Colletti might opt to play his current hand and keep his starting depth. After all, the Dodgers used nine different starting pitchers last season because of injuries.

"(Starting pitching) has been a Dodger strength over the years. It's what championship teams are built on," Mattingly says. "You don't ever see them slug their way through. It's usually teams that can really pitch. Over the long haul, those are the teams that get there."